WARNING!! Annual Off-Topic Baseball Thread. Esteemed Members BEWARE!!

[26 Year Gap]

Originally Posted by ChuckElias

Heck of a day for the Yankees. Matsui comes back (which I honestly didn't think he'd do this year) and Abreau (kind of sounds like the character from "The Neverending Story") puts the game away in the first inning.

I love the AL Central. I'm betting on the Sox (of both colors) being left out of the playoffs.

Like I told Rut earlier...Hailley's Comet comes again BEFORE a Chicago team wins it all again.

[ChuckElias]

Red Sox vs. Yankees this weekend and, sadly, it barely registers on the radar. For the first time in about 3 or 4 years, a September match-up with the Yankees really doesn't mean that much. The Yankees magic number is 6, I think, and the chances of overtaking the White Sox and the red-hot Twins for the wild card are pretty slim.

Since I don't really feel like talking about that, how about I update my annual ballpark rankings? The rankings and comments as of last year can be found here: http://forum.officiating.com/showpos...&postcount=288

The list looked like this:

1. Camden Yard
2. PNC (Pittsburgh)
3. Citizens' Bank Park (Philly)
4. Yankee Stadium
5. Great American Ballpark (Cincinnati)
6. Jacobs' Field (Cleveland)
7. Olympic Stadium (Montreal)
8. Shea Stadium

This year we visited Comerica Park in Detroit and Rogers' Centre (formerly SkyDome) in Toronto. Ranking these two was kind of difficult. If you rated them mostly on the ballpark itself, you get a very different result than if you considered the surrounding area and the city.

Comerica is a beautiful park with lots of the "old fashioned" feel that has become popular. We had very good seats, about 20 rows back and even with the first base bag, which were about average price. There's a very cool fountain in center field (although there's a big SUV displayed with it, since it's sponsored by GM). There are tigers sculpted all over the park and the main entrance to the ballpark is framed with giant baseball bats and is guarded by a huge tiger. The food in the park was above average, I thought (my buddy John wasn't as impressed). There was also reasonably priced merchandise, so I could get something for my daughter. We didn't try to move to better seats, b/c ours were already really good. It was also "Negro League" weekend, so the teams wore old uniforms from the era. The Tigers wore the uniforms from the Detroit Stars. I forget which team the Royals wore (maybe the KC Monarchs?) That was pretty cool.

The drawback was that the city of Detroit was -- how shall I put it? -- less than appealing. The hotels in the area were priced very high and the one we were in was horrible. The surrounding area (except for Greektown, which was pretty cool) is 5 square miles of deserted buildings and empty lots. There was very little to do that we could find (except the casinos) and we simply didn't like the city itself.

SkyDome, on the other hand, is a pretty average park in the middle of an amazing city. I'm not a big-city kind of guy, but I could live in Toronto. Museums, castles, amazing history, clean city and friendly people (except the attendant at our parking garage). The most remarkable thing about SkyDome is the retractable roof. We got to the park about 40 minutes before the game and the roof was closed, despite the fact that it was a gorgeous day. Why? Because it was "Bring Your Dog to the Park" Day. They had a parade of dogs along the warning track in the outfield and they were interviewing the dog owners in the parade. I kid you not.

Anyway, when the parade was over, they opened the roof and we got to see it in action. It was VERY cool. The other cool thing about the park is that if you sit on the third base side, the CN Tower rises right behind the ballpark. It was truly an amazing sight. Otherwise, I felt the ballpark was about average. The seats down the lines are not angled toward home plate b/c the stadium is used for multiple events. So we had to crane our necks for the whole game to see the infield action. It was very tough to move to a better seat, as every section is guarded and they take it seriously. The merchandise was pretty good, but the food was average at best. We took the ballpark tour the next morning before we left for home, and it was very good. They let us out into the field and we got to walk around the outfield.

If we were just ranking the ballparks, Comerica would be way ahead of SkyDome. However, taking the town and surrounding areas into account, our updated rankings are:

1. Camden Yard
2. PNC (Pittsburgh)
3. Citizens' Bank Park (Philly)
4. Yankee Stadium
5. Great American Ballpark (Cincinnati)
6. SkyDome
7. Jacobs' Field (Cleveland)
8. Comerica Park
9. Olympic Stadium (Montreal)
10. Shea Stadium

Hope that's interesting to somebody.

[Dan_ref]

Frankly I'm surprised Shea stadium shows up on the top 10. Oh well. In a couple of years neither the stadium nor the name will remain.

In any event, and since you don't want to talk about it...the games this weekend will mean something. It will give Joe Torre & staff a chance to get his playoff rotation & bullpen set, and of course get Matsui back up to speed.

[ChuckElias]

Originally Posted by Dan_ref

Frankly I'm surprised Shea stadium shows up on the top 10.

Well, we've only been to 10. So they're all in the top 10 so far.

In any event, the games this weekend will mean something. It will give Joe Torre & staff a chance to get his playoff rotation & bullpen set

Still a little early for that, isn't it? Next weekend, maybe. As to Matsui, I'm amazed he's back at all; let alone getting up to speed.

[Jimgolf]

Originally Posted by ChuckElias

Well, we've only been to 10. So they're all in the top 10 so far.

That reminds me of an old Manny Sanguillen story. One of his Pirates teammates (might have been Stargell or Clemente) said to him, "You know, Manny, you're the second best looking player on the team."

"Who's the first?" Manny asked.

"The other 24 guys."

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by ChuckElias

If we were just ranking the ballparks, Comerica would be way ahead of SkyDome. However, taking the town and surrounding areas into account, our updated rankings are:

1. Camden Yard
2. PNC (Pittsburgh)
3. Citizens' Bank Park (Philly)
4. Yankee Stadium
5. Great American Ballpark (Cincinnati)
6. SkyDome
7. Jacobs' Field (Cleveland)
8. Comerica Park
9. Olympic Stadium (Montreal)
10. Shea Stadium

Hope that's interesting to somebody.

Yup, and I disagree.

Surprised?

I've seen most of 'em over the years. The best ballpark imo is Dodger Stadium.Just a beautiful, beautiful place to play ball.

And the Skydome, Olympic Stadium and Shea shouldn't be anywhere near a "best" list. The Skydome and Olympic Stadium are both charmless, concrete monstrosities with fake grass. Shea is built on a garbage dump right in the flightpath of runway 45L.

For sheer nostagia and history, I'd also add add Wrigley Field and Fenway Park in addition to to Dodger Stadium to replace the Skydome, Olympic Stadium and Shea. They're both kinda old and dumpy, but, come to think about it, so am I.

[ChuckElias]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

And the Skydome, Olympic Stadium and Shea shouldn't be anywhere near a "best" list.

For sheer nostagia and history, I'd also add add Wrigley Field and Fenway Park in addition to to Dodger Stadium.

As I mentioned to Dan, you may recall, we've only been to these 10 parks together. So that's why Shea and Olympic Stadia are still in the top 10. When we get to Wrigley, Fenway, and Dodger Stadium, we will undoubtedly add them to the list.

However, there's no guarantee that they will be knocked out of the Top 10 next year, either; as we're probably going to Miami and Tampa. Not high on aesthetics in either place, from what I understand.

[mick]

Saving hits and runs for one game ain't gonna cut it against the Yankees. But the Tigers certainly needed a win. FINAL	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Orioles	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	2	9	2
Tigers	1	0	0	8	0	6	1	1	X	17	19	0

[Jurassic Referee]

And Minny and the White Sox both lost too, Mick. You had a good night.

The BoSox had a good night too. They were rained out.

[Dan_ref]

Originally Posted by ChuckElias

As I mentioned to Dan, you may recall, we've only been to these 10 parks together. So that's why Shea and Olympic Stadia are still in the top 10.

There are more than 1 sports facilities called Olympic Stadium?

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by Dan_ref

There are more than 1 sports facilities called Olympic Stadium?

A quick check of GOOGLE found Olympic Stadia in London, Helsinki, Berlin, Barcelona and West Sheepnuts, Montana.

It's true, it's true.....

[Dan_ref]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

A quick check of GOOGLE found Olympic Stadia in London, Helsinki, Berlin, Barcelona and West Sheepnuts, Montana.

It's true, it's true.....

West sheepnuts, eh?

Would that be the left or right?

[rockyroad]

Originally Posted by ChuckElias

As I mentioned to Dan, you may recall, we've only been to these 10 parks together. So that's why Shea and Olympic Stadia are still in the top 10. When we get to Wrigley, Fenway, and Dodger Stadium, we will undoubtedly add them to the list.

However, there's no guarantee that they will be knocked out of the Top 10 next year, either; as we're probably going to Miami and Tampa. Not high on aesthetics in either place, from what I understand.

Obviously you haven't been to Safeco Field - the M's might suck, but it's a beautiful ballpark!!

[mick]

Originally Posted by rockyroad

Obviously you haven't been to Safeco Field - the M's might suck, but it's a beautiful ballpark!!

And what was your tip-off?
The fact that it wasn't on his list of ball parks that he attended?

I don't get out much, but Milwaukee's Miller Park is comfortably esoteric.
mick

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by rockyroad

Obviously you haven't been to Safeco Field - the M's might suck, but it's a beautiful ballpark!!

So I've heard. Seattle is a beautiful city.

I saw a game in the Kingdome back in the 80's. You can put that park on the list of concrete monstrosities with fake grass that shoulda been blown up.